51
context of a big country like India seeking to fulfill her true potential .This was
uppermost. In the minds of concerned Indians.
Technology vision 2020
It is against this background that the TIFAC governing council met on 24
November 1993 with its forty members drawn from industry , R&D establishments ,
academic institutions ,government departments and financial institutions and debated
how TIFAC could contribute to national development .An intense discussion took place
about India ‘s past and present technological performance and what could be feasible in
the future .In the midst of the discussion one of the TIFAC council members
posed a very interesting question .’Mr. chairman , we all have to address one issue :India
today , almost fifty years since 1947,is branded a developing country . what will make the
country a developed nation?’
Everyone present realized that therein lay the crux of the problem and to arrive
at he answer to the question became. The agenda .two council meetings were held to
discuss the means to arrive at the answer .It was realized that technology. Is the highest
wealth generator in the shortest possible period. If it is deployed in the right direction
.Technology strengthens. The political, economic and security structure of the nation .
For India ,technology had to be the vision for the future.
Technology can help transform multiple areas such as education and training
,agriculture and food processing, strategic industries and infrastructure in various fields .
It is on this basis that the task forces and panels of the technology Vision 2020 were
constituted.
India’s needs core competencies
India’s are very clear : to remove the poverty of our millions as speedily as
possible ,say before 2020;to provide health for all ;to provide good education and skills
for all ;to provide employment opportunities for all; to be a net exporter; and to be self –
reliant in national security and build up capabilities to sustain and improve on all these in
the future .How can India meet these needs ?To be able to chart out the possible paths
towards this end , an assessment of India’s core competencies is a prerequisite.
What is a core competency? put simply , it means that in certain areas we have
some inherent strengths whereby we can show a much better output and better results in
52
shorter time . In the final analysis , any group of people in any given locale and under
any condition can accomplish what they really want to. But there are certain things
which they can do much better given the same will and effort ,either due to a more
enabling environment or due to better experience .These ,then ,are country’s core
competencies.
There have been a number of debates on the existence of core competencies in
India :so me backed by informed opinio n and others charged wit h strong emotion. This is
because India is a vat country with different regions having different strengths and
weaknesses . There are also different types of people :some with the best of education
,training, exposure and experience . There are many less fortunate ones with average
educational opportunities and work experience . There are many unfortunate ones for
whom survival on a day –to day basis takes up all their attention ;they have few skills
and very little opportunity . such problems need not overwhelm us . An objective
appraisal shows that less fortunate Indians too have shown the abilit y to absorb new
techniques and skills and also methods of functioning. In the early years after
independence the rapid growth of the economy was due to our innate ability. Our
people learnt new agricultural practices; many learnt to work in factories and
various public service activities. An improved educational base helped them
better absorb the new approaches and knowledge . Despite the appalling state of female
illiteracy , it is also a fact that a large number of women from all walks of life adjusted
to new forms of economic activity .
It is clear that the major technological and industrial achievements of our
country have come about through the endeavors of thousands of young women and men
who have studied in ‘ordinary’ schools and colleges in different parts of India .Not all of
the few million persons of Indian origin who live and work in different parts of the world
are from the Indian inst itute of techno logy or other prestigious inst itutes. They are fro m
the ‘ordinary’ institutions of India. There are doctors , engineers. technicians ,nurses,
artists, writers, journalists, accountants, clerks , teachers and various kinds of
professionals and others in the workforce. Even the recent Indian software miracle is the
making of a large number of ‘ordinary’ young women and men , who may not be able to
53
talk fluently in English , but can understand instruction manuals and master computer
operations well enough to enable them to stand up to global competition .
One thing then is crystal clear :India’s human resource base is one of it s great
competencies . It is India’s strength . if we can train unskilled Indian , if we can impart
better skills to a skilled Indian and if we create a more challenging environment for the
educated , as well as build avenues for economic activity in agriculture , industry and the
service sectors , these Indians will not only meet the targets but excel them . The
technology vision documents advocate the formation of a human resource cadre that will
be the foundat ion o f the act ion packages for the country in the near future. Such a cadre
will lead us to economic achievements.
Indians not only have a great learning capabilit y but most of them also have
an entrepreneurial and competitive spirit . today, there are not enough avenues to
chandelier this spirit constructively and productively . That is what we should aim for .
Naturally the vision products several elements that capitalize on this vital resource of
India . The details of the emphasis vary from sector to sector , whether it is agrofood or
materials or biotechnology or strategic industries , and into account both socioeconomic
needs and the complexities of the technologies involved .
Another core strength of India is its natural resource base. Though India may
not have rich deposits of all the ores and minerals , or of a uniformly high quality , it has
abundant supplies of most them . We have good ores of steel and aluminum. We have
abundant supplies of ores of the wonder metal titanium and several rare earth materials ,
though we have not used them effectively . we have a vast coastline which stores many
more resources and energy supplies . They are the strengths of our future as we use more
of the land resources .undersea resources are yet to be explored.
In addition to these , we have an excellent base for living resources: very rich
biodiversity; abundant sunshine; varied agroclimatic conditions, almost a microcosm
of the globe, form arctic cold to tropical green to tropical green to bare deserts; and
plenty of rain fall, though we do not tap it effectively. To illustrate: if the annual
rainfall all over India were evenly spread over the country , the water would
exceed one meter in depth. If only we could tap such largesse! India’s techno log y
54
vision 2020 is built around its natural resource base, its vast human resource
base and the core competencies of the nation.
The generation of the vision –how was it done?
It is difficult to recapitulate all the details of the mammoth exercises done
by the TIFAC task forces and panels. In Appendix 1 we list the names of
chairpersons and cochairpersons . there were about 500 persons active in the panels
and task forces.
Many moreabout 5000 participated through responses to questionnaires, or with
written or oral inputs. Many others who did not respond to the questionnaires later said
that it was an excellent exercise and the questions had set them thinking. They wished
they had asked those questions themselves in the context of their business or other
activates.
Keeping in mind India’s needs. Core strengths and competencies, the focus was
on the crucial sectors. They were agrofood processing, road transportation, civil
aviation, waterways, electric power, telecommunications, advanced sensors, engineering
industries, electronics and communications, materials and processing, chemical
processing industries, food and agriculture, life sciences and biotechnology, healthcare,
strategic industries, and services. All these panels and task forces also considered the
driving forces and impending factors in their own areas and provided suggestions for
speedy action. In addition, there was a special panel on Driving Forces and Impediments.
The following paragraphs extracted and adapted from a few TIFAC documents describe
both the objectives and methodology.
(a) provide directions for national initiatives in science and technology to
realize a vision for India upto 2020;
(b) provide a strong basis for policy framework and investment for R&D in
the government and the private sector;and
(c) contribute to the development of an integrated S&T policy both at the stae
and national levels.
The major longterm national assessment and forecasting exercise was
contributed into seventeen panels and task forces. Of these, ten were headed
55
by experts from industry, five from R&D institutions and two from the
government. Each task force has a chairperson, a cochairperson and a
coordinator.
The studies employed various techniques of forecasting like brainstorming
sessions, preparation of perspective and scenario reports, Delphi rounds,
nominal group technique some cases, subsequent workshops, etc. (see fig 3.1).
The task forces and panels addressed the following questions:
· Are there areas where India has a strong technology base?
· What are the technologies which can dramatically change Indian social or
economic conditions or which have specified advantages?
· What are the spinoffs from the technologies developed?
· What is the focus on inhouse and indigenous technological development?
· What should be the actions, strategies and policies which will be implemented
in the future to secure a competitive advantage in the world market.
· Which are the technologies that would come into the future in a big way by
2010,2015,2020 and 2025 respectively?
· Which are the technologies by 2000, 2005,2010 and 2015 respectively?
The cross linkages and input flow between various panels and task forces
were maintained through chairpersons coordination and the staff. At the
subsequent TIFAC council meetings, several task forces and panels presented their
findings fro m the reports. During the 23 rd TIFAC council meet ing held on 18 April
1996 in New Delhi, it was decided to widely disseminate the reports with the help
of industry, industryassociations, government departments, agencies,
organizations and other interested groups in these areas so as to formulate some
action for realizing this technology vision for India.
The perspective and scenario reports of the panels, Delhi responses and
Nominal Group Technique (NGT) rankings formed the basis on which the vision
and action reports were finalized, and suggestions were also formulated for policy
guidelines, strategies and action plans for the government, industry, R&D
institutes and academic institutions to realize the vision for India up to 2020.
56
57
Each vision report contains valuable information on the current status,
forecasts, and assessment of a sector. One can see through these reports various
outcomes and suggestions for action ranging fro m simple modification o f po licies
and/or administrative measures to the introduction of relat ively simple technolog y
practices on the one hand, as well as those involving mastery of new and emerging
complex technologies on the other. One would find all these options being
interconnected. It is very difficult to choose one or the other alone as sufficient for
India. It is essential to orchestrate all of them in a systematic way and also with a
reasonable timesynchronism. These collectively form the Technology Vision for
India up to 2020. India Today of 31 July 1996 carried and exclusive preview under
the heading ’50 Technologies That Will change Our Lives’ by Raj Chengappa.
The mammoth exercise has resulted in twentyfive documents. H.D. Deve
Gowda, then the Prime Minister, releasing the Technology Vision 2020 reports on
2 August 1996 in New Delhi, said:
I am happy to learn that the reports present not only a Vision in 2020 but
also spell out the intermediary steps required to be taken by government, institutes,
industry and others. The coming years require greater emphasis and investment,
particularly by industry and business houses, for creating indigenous technological
strengths. While it is not necessary that we develop everything within the country,
we should remember that the competitive world respects technological strengths. I
have confidence that our managers, experts and work force can meet any
challengeeven the complex technological and organizational tasksif we make
dedicated and sustained efforts. I would suggest that we all commit ourselves to
taking the necessary followup steps. This will be our tribute to those who have
worked hard for several months to prepare these reports. The reports should be
widely disseminated and become a source of inspiration to our younger
generation.
58
The minister of state for science and technology, Prof Y.K.
Alga said;
India is one of the very few countries which has produced such reports. This in
itself illustrates the trend as technological strength built up in our institutions, industries
and users.
Summing up, I said:
I have presented the results in several forums to various Persons: young and old.
I find them uniformly enthused about the vision and they want to do something soon.
Therein lies our strength. We have not really tapped the
Full potential of our multiinstitutional networked strengths. I hope these documents
will provide such an opportunity. I firmly believe that ignited minds are the power
resources. Can we trigger the young minds in national development?
Yes, we can.
A few chairpersons presented the key results. None of them had
rehearsed or exchanged notes before the function; the smoothness of the presentation
showed how well they had absorbed the findings.
Even though there are twentyfive documents for seventeen area
(seefig.3.2), there are tremendous linkages across all o f them. For example, when the
near doubling of cereals is envisaged for 2020, it implies the crucial importance of
post harvesting processes, including storage, transportation, distribution and
marketing. Similarly, if we are to become leaders in machine tool industries, the
document calls for focusing our strength in software engineering Through the wealth
of our software engineering, we should enter into Computer AidedDesign and
ComputerAidedManufacturing (CADCAM), resulting in India assuming leadership
in the key areas of machine tools and similar industries with valueadded software. Our
strengths in the conventional manufacturing of plants and machinery, the knowledge
base in chemistry, the growth of computer simulation as well as rich biodiversity
provide a new role for us in the modern clean chemicals
59
Sector, specialty chemicals and national products. In health care, the
technological inputs which have been projected require strengths in advanced
materials, sensors and electronics. The linkages between disciplines and sectors
are so intimate that we can depict them as interconnected boxes. Even national
security, economic and food securities often appear as one. The final goal is clear:
the prosperity and continued health and well being of all our people.
After the release
After the release of these documents, the authors besides many others have
traveled extensively and presented their findings, partly with a view to disseminate the
60
conclusions, but more to network people for action. The responses at the state, local,
institutional and individual levels are overwhelming. We believe that there are many
ignited minds in different parts of India, in different age groups. The Techno logy Visio n
will generate multimissions and each mission in turn hundreds of projects. This
ambience will make the nation achieve the status of a developed nation. The vision, we
believe therefore, can be realized: the vision of a developed India ,which can see Indian
products, services and technologies emerge as world class! Let us now examine the
results presented in the Technology Vision documents.
61
Chapter 4
Food, Agriculture and
processing
If the farmer’s hands slacken
even the ascetic’s state will fail.
Thirukkural,104:6
About 4oper cent of our people live below the poverty line today.
They face problems of daytooday existence, with not enough money to buy
simple food items, often not even for the next meal. Still, the situation is much
better than what it was at many periods before independence and even during
the 1960s. Today’s teenagers would not know about the near famine conditions
that prevailed in certain regions of the country before independence and even
after, and particularly about our dependence on American wheat in the sixties.
The crisis and Indian food security
Prof S.K. Sinha, an eminent Indian agricultural scient ist who led the food and
agriculture panel of the Technology Vision is often fond of quoting the
following:
It is also important to recall the experience of C. Subramaniam, the
then Union minister of agriculture during the critical years of 196566 and
196667. He has stated that ‘we had to import 10 million tones and 11
million tones during these two yearsthat was a danger signal, you can’t be
depending upon imported foodgrains at that level, particularly when it
came from 12000 miles away. During the second year of that critical
period of drought, President Johnson, because of certain policies he had
adopted, we reached a stage where there were stocks for only two weeks
and there was nothing in transit in the pipeline’. *
This crisis gave the country’s leadership an opportunity to resolve to become self
sufficient in food grains. This period also coincided with a breakthrough in technology
at international centers for improvement of rice and wheat strains. India took advantage
of these technologies, experimented with them, and launched largescale agricultural
extension services, instead of viewing these technologies merely as research curiosities.
62
Within three years the production of wheat doubled. This led to food grain self
sufficiency in the 1970s when we developed rice and wheat varieties acceptable to our
people.
Later when two of the worst droughts of the century occurred in 1979 and 1987,
the world did not take note of them because no food aid was asked for. The country
now has a buffer stock of about 35 million tones of food grains. The 1990s have seen a
certain degree of diversification of agriculture and exports of various agricultural
products including wheat and rice. There is also a growth in the agriculturebased
processing industry.
Future needs and capabilities
So can we rest on our oars, comfortable in the belief that there are no more problems on
the food front? Will there be no possibility of a repeat of the humiliation and stress the
country and our people had to go through from 1965 to 1967?
We may look at table 4.1 below, which is a prediction.
TABLE 4.1
Projected Grain Imports in 2000 and 2010
Countries Million Tones
2000 2010
South Asia 9.2 12.8
East Asia 31.4 39.0
India 6.9 14.1
Pakistan 2.1 4.5
Indonesia 5.7 7.6
China 11.3 21.6
Source: TIFAC, Food and Agriculture: Technology Vision 2020
63
According to table 4.1, India may have to import about 14 million tones of food
grains by 2010 and then imports will grow at the rate of 2 per cent every year! Can we
draw comfort from the fact that Pakistan will have to import 4.5 millio n tones in 2010
and China 21.6 million tones? Along with many others who have studied these issues in
depth and thought about possible solutions, we believe that we need not accept these
conclusio ns at all since India has tremendous potent ial for increasing production. India
either already has the necessary technologies or can develop them easily. Our people
and our farmers are exceptionally entrepreneurial, and have proved it again and again.
But we can belie the gloomy predictions only when we resolve to work hard with a
lo ngterm visio n. We cannot afford to believe that we are far enough ahead in the race
to go to sleep like the hare which lost to a tortoise.
Food demand and the Indian people
Let us pause for a moment and see how some of the doomsday predictions about
availability of food grains in India or its import arise. Some of the reasons are:
(a) A growing population. India’s population is projected at 1.3 billion by the
year 2020.
(b) Economic growth is another factor. As the economy grows, people earn
more and consumption rises. It will be a happy day when our poor have
enough to eat.
(c) In addition, there is a definite change in lifestyle. There is a clear trend
towards consumption of meat products with the increase in income.
Consumption of non vegetarian food tends to increase to the consumption
of cereals as well.
Based on many such factors and variables, several studies indicate the demand o f
food grains in the year 2000 to range fro m as low as 191 millio n tones to as high
as 286 million tones! A scenario for domestic demand for food grains for different
rates of economic growth is given in table 4.2.
Since we need at least a 7 per cent growth rate to reach developed
country status, it is safe to assume a demand of 340 million tones of food grains
by 2020. All these projected increases in demand place additional pressure on
Indian agriculture. The optimum allocation of land and other resources for various
64
crops will itself pose a challenge. Can we declare, consume less milk or oil or eat
less vegetables? These are the new challenges before us in a nottoodistant
future.
Challenges to Indian agriculture
Thus the growing demand for food grains, vegetables, fruits, milk,
poultry and meat as well as cash crops is go ing to present greater and newer
challenges to agriculture. Let us not forget that our existing food security has been
mainly brought about by the increase in irrigated agriculture and the introduction
of
TABLE 4.2 63
Projected Household Demand for Food in India at 7 per cent Income Growth
Commodity Annual household demand
(million metric tones)
1991 1995 2000 2010
2020
Food grains 168.3 185.1 208.6 266.4
343.0
Milk 48.8 62.0 83.8 153.1
271.0
Edible oil 4.3 5.1 6.3 9.4
13.0
Vegetables 56.0 65.7 80.0 117.2
168.0
Fruits 12.5 16.1 22.2 42.9
81.0
Meat, fish & eggs 3.4 4.4 6.2 12.7
27.0
Sugar 9.6 10.9 12.8 17.3
22.0
65
Source: TIFAC: Food and Agriculture: Technology Vision 2020
highyielding varieties of crops. Current stabilit y in production is through wheat, largely
a winter crop. However, the rain fed areas, which account for 70 per cent of the net
cultivated areas of the country, have not benefited from modern developments in
agriculture. Of this 70 per cent, about 30 per cent area is under dry land agriculture where
annual rainfall is up to 400 mm.
The problems in areas with rain fed agriculture need to be understood. The lesser
the rain in an area, the greater the trouble for the farmers and villagers there. I recall my
frequent visits to suratgarh, Rajas than, in the late 1960’s and 70’s, in connection with
certain important projects, when sounding rockets of the Indian Space Research
Organization (ISRO) were being tested. I remember the pathetic situation been which
then prevailed. During many reasons, it was rare to find even o f grass. Now when i visit
some areas in Rajas than for other programmers, I am struck by the change brought about
by the irrigation waters of the Indira Gandhi Canal. The change in the quality of the
people’s lives is something that gives me immense satisfaction. I envisage an Indian with
many such canalsbig and smallconnecting different river system and water bodies. I
would like to see an India whose watersheds and rainwater are managed to benefit the
poor people and to boost our agriculture.
What is to be done with the rain fed regio ns till then? Leave them to the centuries
old toil of their farmers? Or neglect them with hope that we may be able to make a
breakthrough in newer technologies so that we can achieve whatever we want from the
30 per cent irrigated, relatively affluent agricultural zones? There have been several
successful small experiments in different parts of both the rain fed and dry land areas o f
our country. For example, there has been considerable success in some pockets of
Maharastra in conserving water, plant ing o f trees, developing villagelevel grazing lands
and regulating water use by the community. This has helped in raising suitable crops and
livestock and in creating a viable market system. If we only recall how the Green
Revolut ion took place: several farmers fro m the irrigated regions of India were given a n
opportunity to visit other parts of the world. Should we not as a country extend similar
opportunities to the farmers in the rain fed and dry land regions of our country at least to
visit other places in our country (and if possible to go abroad too) to observe for
66
themselves the success of farmers there who have overcome similar conditions to
increase productivity.
Our people and farmers are all integrated into one huge market. All those concerned
need to be educated about another important scientific fact, through observation,
discussion and mass contacts: that is, regarding agroecological considerations.
Accordingly, the dry lands of central India cannot have high productivity rates of rice and
wheat (which are the major food grains relished by Indians). Therefore, agriculture in the
central Indian dry lands can be focused on pulses, oilseeds, vegetables, fruits and
livestock. Wheat and rice can be concentrated in more suitable regions. Each state should
concentrate on agricultural products most suited to its agroclimatic conditions, as it
cannot hope to be selfsufficient in all the essential commodities. In addition, special
attention should be given to the agriculture in the eastern region of India, especially to
increase productivity. Large parts of eastern India, through blessed by excellent agro
climatic and water resources, have a very low productivity. This situation has to change if
India aims at food security and economic prosperity.
There is a need for multipronged action. Merely having better seeds or better
irrigation will not suffice. The tasks involved today are much more complex than the
were during the Green Revolution.
Environmental problems and international pressures
In the coming years we cannot address our agricultural problems in
iso lat ion. The General Agreement on trade and tariffs (GATT) and the obligat ions to the
World Trade Organizat ion (WTO) have implicat ions for the future course of agricultura l
research and development and other initiatives we may take. These relate to giving
market access to other countries in selling their products in India. This will place a
demand on quality and efficiency in our own agricultural operations. Limits will be also
placed on how much domestic support we can give to our agriculture.
Restrictions in terms of sanitary and photosanitary measures both for import and
export of agricultural commodities will be imposed. This means there will be demands
that residues of pesticides and chemicals be reduced to the internationally acceptable
standards. Suppose we say that we will adopt these standards only for exports and that for
our own domestic markets we may relax these conditions. Then our own people, starting
67
with environmental activists, will insist that we should also adopt international standards
as otherwise the health of our people will be in danger. Thanks to information
technology, the demand for stiffer environmental standards in any one part of the world
soon becomes a global issue. Thus, the use of agrochemicals and fertilizers has to often
conform to international specifications. There are also other considerations of equal
national treatment under the WTO. In other words, we cannot have one standard for
Indian business and another for a foreign entity.
Serious implications arise from various international obligations for the
protection of Intellectual Property Rights (IPR). This means far greater commercial
restrictions in the use of technologies developed elsewhere in the world. Even our own
research cannot be based on mere imitation of foreign technologies. For example, we
cannot assume easy availability of better seeds as we had obtained through the Mexican
highyielding varieties at the beginning of our Green Revolution: witness the trend of
foreign scientists and technologists attempting to patent an agriculturerelated Invention
new methods of growing basmati riceas happened recently in the US.
Now let us go back to table 4.1 which projects possible food grain imports by a
number of countries with huge populations. If a number of them do import, many
companies in developed countries will resort to selling food grains as a business. (Even
now they do, though in ways that are not too obvious.) Once we have to depend on
imports to provide food for our people, foreign companies and governments can use this
issue politically to derive many trade and political advantages. It also likely that they will
resort to conditional ties which will perpetuate the dependence.
An environmental concern that is likely to have implications for Indian agriculture
is the emissio n o f gases like methane and carbon dioxide. These are calculated based o n
various models. India will be told that we contribute so much and there may be some
penalties on those who emit more than an internationality established limit. Some of the
concerns could be an outcome of complex geopolitical motivations. The latter can
assume various forms to mask pressures. In any case we have to learn to make our own
models and counter geopoliticalmotivated pressures. Further, since climatic changes will
affect agriculture, we should also be able to filter out facts of scientific relevance and take
advance action to protect our agriculture.
68
The technologies
In addition to representing the national will and organizing a largescale national effort,
technologies play a crucial role in achieving food security for the country.
We would naturally start with biotechnology as it deals with many aspects of
basic inputs to agriculture: seeds, plants, soil treatment, etc. It is crucial to food security,
if we take the right steps. One o f the most important techno logies is that which can lead
to transgenic plants: that is, plants which are ‘humanmade’ and are tailored to meet the
desired objectives by transfer and expression of the desired type of gene to a target plant.
Worldwide, a number of such developments are taking place. In 199495, of the total
number of 482 transgenic plants that were produced, 30 per cent were field tested for
herbicide resistance, 24 per cent for product quality, 21 per cent for insect resistance, 14
per cent for vital resistance and 8 per cent for other special traits. Targets of the
developed world’s biotechnology industry are given in table 4.3. Crops reported to have
been transformed are vegetables, field crops, fruits and nuts besides others. Among the
vegetables are: asparagus, carrot, cauliflower, cabbage, celery, cucumber, horseradish,
lettuce, pea, potato and tomato. Among field crops: alfalfa, corn, cotton, flax, oilseed
(rape), rice, rye, soybean, sugar beet and sunflower. And among fruits/nuts were apple,
pear and walnut.
TABLE 4.3
Targets in Improvement for selected crops in
North America and Europe Through Biotechnology
________________________________________________
____________________
Tomato : Improved texture, increased solids, enhanced firmness
Potato : Increased solids, reduced browning, uniform starch distribution
Canola: Modified oil composition, improved oil quality, improved feed quality
_____________________________________________________________________
69
source: TIFAC Food and Agriculture: Technology Vision 2020
As of now it appears that the major benefits of biotechnology are focused on the
processing industry, e.g. tomato, potato. These are not the crops which can provide food
security now or in the future.
In India, a certain amount of crop (transgenic) biotechnology is being put to use.
Major efforts are being undertaken to make cotton pestresistant. Most readers would be
aware of the spate of suicides by cotton farmers recently. Let us hope there will be
scientific and technologies breakthroughs in pestresistant transgenic cotton seeds. Till
we achieve success in this on a commercial scale we cannot be sure that we will have
enough supplies to plan largescale operations. No doubt such researches should be
encouraged, but we should look at other fronts too. It is necessary for research on crop
biotechnology in India to be focused on our important crops, especially those related to
food security.
We have to bear in mind that the application of biotechnology may not have any major
impact on food security in India in the next five years, though crops of industrial value
and vegetables may benefit to some extend. Therefore, we will st ill need to depend upon
conventional agricultural technologies even while we target biotechnology for future
oriented applications. Internationally, no major breakthrough in improvement of wheat
strains has occurred lately. Hybrid rice is more productive. China had a few major initial
success in increasing the yield through largescale use of hybrid rice. India has begun use
of hybrid rice recently and there are plans to increase it. But it may be denoted that in
recent years there has been no further improvement in Chinese production of rice. Still,
hybrid rice will play an important role in India, as we are yet to introduce it on a large
scale.
There are a number of improvements in agricultural implements, machinery, plastics,
water technologies, agrochemicals and fertilizers which are possible and are well within
the country’s reach. There is an urgent need to conserve water in a number of ways:
ranging from water harvesting to drip irrigation. There are a number of good examples in
India of water harvesting though these are in isolated pockets. Israel has made water
conservation a national policy and has achieved remarkable results. India with its size and
70
with better endowments in water resources can make miracles happen. A major industry
can grow around such agriculture support systems.
There also other technologies which can contribute a great deal to agriculture. We
need to use all available methods because the coming years are not going to be easy on
the food front. Let us look at one, space technology.
Remote sensing or taking electronic pictures of the earth from space is extensively
used for assessing natural resources, land degradation and water resources as well as to
predict crop yield and snow melt, among other things. Some developed countries monitor
crop yields of other countries to help their own exports. India is strong in the area of
remote sensing technologies. We have our own high resolution remote sensing satellites
whose pictures are all over the world commercially. We also have excellent capabilities
in utilizing remotely sensed data for various applications: groundwater targeting, soil
salinity assessment, crop yield estimates, and so on. In addition, space technology can be
used very effectively to assist extension work: disseminate success stories to farmers,
educate them on dos and don’ts, and to help them ask questions through satellite. A
number of experiments conducted by ISRO in this regard in Haryana and Madhya
pradesh have to be taken up by other states in a major way. Our farmers should and can
be given facilities to keep pace with advances in agricultural technology. Yes, it is a lot of
effort. But we have plenty of talent and also the resources. As shown in the chapter on
services, providing these facilities in different languages, party with public support and
partly through various business houses and private bodies, can become a good source of
employment generation by it self.
Specific and urgent measures needed
Our country is and will continue to be a major producer and consumer of wheat and rice.
The areas presently under wheat and rice are restricted and are becoming unsustainable in
the face of growing demand. Therefore, several immediate steps that will ensure stability
in production are:
a) Broaden the production area of wheat in eastern UP, Bihar, Orison, West
Bengal and the NorthEast.
b) Increase rice production in traditional areas by adopting hybrid rice.
c) Increase production of coarse grains in central India and develop various
71
Products, which can partly, substitute rice and wheat. Food technology should be
developed as an important area for both domestic as well as export markets
d) Make central India the production center of vegetables and fruits, and make
efforts to make these commodities available at a lower price. This will have an
effect on the consumption of rice and wheat. A similar effort is needed in a big way
in the indogenetic plains in winter
e) Greater emphasis on tuberous crops such as potato, tapioca and sweet potato to
make them available cheaper rates.
f) There is a shortage of pulses but not of protein in the country. On the basis of
50gm proteins per capita, 18 million tones of protein is needed for onebillion
strong population. Milk, eggs, fish and meat alone provide 11 million tones of high
quality proteins and more than 25 million tones come from cereals, pluses, oil
seeds, fruits, vegetables and other sources. However, meeting the demand of pulses
will remain a priority because of dietary habits.
g) Since vegetable and fruit consumption will increase in future, an appropriate
choice considering agroclimate, input needs, economic returns should be arrived at
for every region. Cold storage and long distance transport essential requirements for
this purpose
h) Animals product will be great demand therefore efforts to be link production,
processing and marketing to be undertaken for each individual product involvement
of the private sector may prove very advantages
i) Land and water are most the important resources for agriculture, and we have
them in adequate measure. India is one of the few countries where nearly 50 per
cent of the geographical area is arable, a benefit not available to china or USA.
However, per capital availability of land is continuing to decline, leading to still
smaller, uneconomical holdings. Their size makes it nearly impossible to make
sufficient investments in inputs, and increasing production from them is a difficult
proposition. A strategy is needed whereby small farmers don’t lose ownership and
yet become a part of a larger area of cultivation. Could the private sector be
involved in this effort? Different options/models have to be considered on the is
(j) Water should be treated as a national resource and asset .Since the share of
72
agriculture in water supply will decrease, it is essential that wateruse efficiency
improves. Sprinkle and drip irrigation are necessary in many areas, as also the
recycling of water. The storage of water of agriculture in water supply will decrease,
it is essential that wateruse efficiency improves. Sprinkle and drip irrigation are
necessary in many areas, as also the recycling of water. The storage of water during
floods or heavy rain, including ground storage, is a crucial national task. Wherever
possible, particularly for horticultural crops, efforts should be made to introduce
modern methods of irrigation. Multiple industries need to take part.
(k) Diseases and insect pests, loss of microbial flora from soils and other such factors
add to the loss of crop production and cause un sustainability. The use of synthetic
pesticides is considered a health hazard. In some areas even groundwater has been
polluted. An approach which would consider host plants, climatic factors, use of
biological agents and chemicals needs to be evolved. This would be region and
season specific. Hence, it would have to be a highly knowledgebased approach.
The Indian approach to food security is not to be restricted or limited to
just meet ing our own demands. An analysis o f table 4.1 reveals that it can be converted
to our advantage. We should target exports as well, as an integral part of our strategy.
Imagine the influence this would give the country, be it in geopolitics, business and in
other strategic considerations.
Incidentally, Pro f Sinha, who led the study and was helping wit h visio n
2020, developed serious eye problems in the course of his work. But he is a man with real
vision and will. He went
through the ordeals of an operation and medication and finished the report. He is now
busy with organizing action packages.
In the course of finalizing act ion plans to realize the agriculture visio n for
India, we met interesting groups of persons in rural areas, in agricultural inst itutions and
even in industry. We met an engineerindustrialist from eastern India who has made a
lifetime commitment to providing appropriate Indiamade machines to rice farmers. He
travels by road to talk to people himself to access their needs. He has been successful in
making a pouching machine which can be operated by a kerosene engine of
approximately three horsepower; it can also partly run on biogas. The pouching machine
73
weighs only about 100kg. It has to be light not only because it has to be physically lifted,
but also duo to the high moisture content of our soils during the rains when rice is grown.
Costwise it can replace a pair of bullocks with their maintenance requirements. It has a
water pump attached to it to mitigate drought, as well as addon facilities for
transplanting and threshing. The industrialist, Ajit Mahapatra, has made it a mission to
introduce these machines into farming. His slogans: ‘The farmers and machines should
grow together’. India has many such able people. There are many dedicated youths and
NGOs. Let us build on their strengths.
Postharvest technologies and agrofood processing
The authors are confident that India can excel and usher in a new era in
agriculture. India can emerge as a global power in terms of agricultural produce , not as a
diffident exporter but as one capable of meeting global standards. Above all, we should
be able to grow plenty of food for our people. This agricultural prosperity will also
largely help eliminate rural poverty.
But it is not enough or perhaps even possible to stop at agriculture alone if benefits
from it are to accrue to the people and the country. We need to give much greater
attention to postharvest technologies. Today, losses in the food sector are large.
Estimates of storage losses in food grains can be as high as 10 percent by weight. In the
fruit and vegetable sector the losses are estimated to be as high as 25 percent. Losses in
milk may be about 5 percent.
Modernization o f storage and processing facilit ies will not only reduce losses but
also help in more efficient use of byproducts.
We address four major items: cereals, milk, vegetables and fruits. These are
critical for the food security of our country, and can also help establish us as an economic
power. We are already first in milk and fruit production.
Only vision in agrofood processing can be categorized into three broad time
periods: short term where the results can be seen soon; medium and long term where
results can be seen only after seven or eight years or more. But our thinking and act ion
should begin now!
74
Some glimpses of such a vision for India can be tabulated as under: Issues &
vision Action required immediately
Shortterm Action: CEAREALS
High cost multicrop harvesters Develop harvesters capable of
not ideal for Indian conditions. It functioning on soil with high
Is possible to change the situation. moisture content and in
standing water.
Make design changes to adapt
Harvesters to harvest grain at
high moisture levels.
Increase use of manually operated Provide government funding
mechanical devices for harvesting. for development of lowcost
manually operated mechanical
devices.
Review and revitalize extension
services to educate formers
about associated benefits.
Food, Agriculture and processing
Issues & Vision Action required immediately
Reduce glut in mantis during Install automatic cleaners and
procurement. Reduce graders at the mantis.
packaging and transportation Initiate use of plasticlined jute
losses. gunnies. Machinestitch all
gunnies.
Install 100 percent weightiest
at all points of loading and
unloading.
Modernization of mills and Urge rice mills to modernize
improved profitability is and upgrade operations such
crucial for the valueaddition as:
chain. It is possible to do so using parboiling technologies
with simple technologies. that require less water and
generate less effluent.
substituting rubber rollers with
HDPEreinforced rubber rollers.
Facilitate formation of consortia
of modern rice mills to fund
75
research in order to:
develop continuous parboiling
technologies to further reduce
energy consumption and effluent
generation.
develop valueadded secondary
and tertiary rice products.
Improving secondary Government to fund development
processing of rice as cottage lowcost technology based on
industry is also possible and locally available fuel and non
has to be stimulated. conventional energy sources.
Issues & Vision Action required immediately
Lack of initiatives to develop Initiate closer interaction between
new secondary products wet maize millers and secondary
from maize can be tackled with product(specially modified
much more valueaddition from starches)users for development,
maize. trails and commercialization.
Mediumterm Action: CEREALS
Packaging and transportation Facilitate formation of a
losses can be brought to consortium comprising modern
very low levels. rice mills to find research in order
to:
improve energy efficiency of
mills.
extract protein from rice bran.
Longterm Action: CEREALS
Shortage of bulk storage Explore the possible use of
facilities to be made a controlled atmosphere and
thing of a past. Vacuum storage systems.
Shortterm Action: MILK
Poor cattle hygiene and health Improve availability of trained
care practices lead to unhealthy manpower for veterinary
cattle with low productivity. extension services and cross
Learning to treat animals as breeding.
important for our own health Establishment of semen banks at
and also for economic the state / regional level.
benefits is an urgent necessity. Development of crossbreeds
76
through DNA markers.
Develop feed and feed quality
standards for cattle consistent
with the breed and yield.
Food, Agriculture and processing
Issues & Vision Action required immediately
Up gradation of crop residues and
other biodegradable wastes for use as
cattle feed.
Development of highyield fodder
seeds.
Create awareness about veterinary
drugs and antibiotics.
Create awareness about hygiene
standards for housing cattle.
Poor quality of milk Initiate innovative programmers
processing leading to for training formers on hygienic
higher losses is the present methods of collection of milk.
status; this situation can be Ensure availability of funds for
changed very rapidly. usage of bulk farm coolers /
alternative technologies for longer
life of raw milk.
Lack of availability of Fund research on use of non
uninterrupted power in the conventional energy sources
milk production / processing for primary processing.
belt is a major hindrance. Review use of the LP system as
Technologies solutions are a preservation technique of raw milk.
immediately available.
Mediumterm Action: MILK
Medium and longterm Programmer for up gradation of
vision for cattle management quality of semen and availability
is to preferably treat them of proven bulls.
with care as they are the Design breeding policies according
foundations of our wealth. to agroclimatic zones.
Development of transgenic animals.
Issues & Vision Action required immediately
Examine use of Rumen bacteria for
improved feed adsorption
Lack of proper treatment Disseminate use of technology for
of effluent leading to processing effluent into byproducts
77
environmental hazards needs for smallscale industries.
urgent attention and in the
medium term we can envision
them to be pollutionfree.
Shortterm Action: FRUITS & VEGETABLES
High level of postharvest Ensuring timely harvesting by
losses of about 30 percent educating growers regarding
is a great national loss and proper maturity indices for
especially to the poor growers. harvesting.
This can be brought down Training and education to
substantially. farmers to promote use of proper
postharvest treatment such as vapor
heat treatment, surface coating etc., at
farm level.
Integrated approach to Providing financial assistance to R&D
promote Indian institutes to initiate programmers for
horticulture products is developing products with characteristics/
needed and can inaugurate quality suited for specific markets.
a major boom in the Educating the farmers and encouraging
business. them to grow these varieties by entering
into buyback agreements, etc. (for
fresh fruits and vegetables).
Food, Agriculture and Processing
Issues & Vision Action required immediately
Disseminate information about
specific characteristics of products
desired by consumers in the target
markets for Indian industry (for
fresh and processed products).
Mediumterm Action: FRUIT & VEGETABLES
Low yield has to become Promote use of techniques such as
a thing of the past. This is tissue culture, grafting ,etc at farm
possible with continual level through effective extension
technological inputs. programmers .
High level of harvest, post Development of road infrastructure.
Harvest losses to be brought to Financial assistance to cooperative
acceptable levels in the and private institutions to develop the
medium term by using a cold chain infrastructure, CA/MA(
multi pronged approach. (controlled atmosphere / modified
atmosphere) storage and transportation
78
facilities.
Continue promoting the processing of
Fruits and vegetables at farm level to
Reduce wastage by educating the
Farmers and providing desired
Financial assistance.
Long –term Action: FRUIT&VEGETABLES
Nonavailability of good continue to provide financial support
Quality raw material for to R&D institutes to initiate
Processing will become an programmers for
Issue in the medium
ISSUE&VISION ACTION REQUIRED
IMMEDIATELY
and long term as the food development of new varieties
processing industry grows of fruits and vegetables with
and consumers become characteristic suited for
more discriminatory .It is processing and promoting
possible to meet they’re these varieties among farmers
requirement by entering into buyback
agreements, etc. It is possible
to develop high quality
Indian varieties if we focus
on our efforts instead of
relying on foreign companies.
Source: TIFAC vision reports on AgroFood processing.
The authors have often done presentations of these ideas, especially the core
technologies which are required to realize the vision. They are given in figure 4.1,4.2
and4.3. More than the precise numbers, one should look at the possible growth expressed
by the numbers.
The figures on the left hand side give a rough idea of the volume of business in
the sector in rupee terms, for the year1995; estimates of current losses; associated
industries (in engineering, packaging, etc.) The right hand side is the vision for 2020 for
these businesses, with losses, etc. shown at present
day price levels. The middle portion lists some key core technologies required to realize
the visio n. These are given in the central box and central to building the agroprocessing
industry in India.
79
Some of the requirements are very simple: educating our People in hygienic
practices; showing them successes achieved elsewhere, through better practices
that have borne fruit, for example, so that they can adopt these too. Our
telecommunications and space technologies are well established. Let these be
deployed in a major efforts. Incidentally, it could become a major service industry
and help boost rural economies. The other technologies are relatively simple:
Standardized chilled containers, or containers with controlled
80
or modified atmosphere to help preserve products, better packaging and so on.
These finding were presented to a highpowered scientific body. It was explained
to them that while they may not appear prosperity to millions. The scientists were
touched and affirmed that they would have to take an interest in such matters as well.
It is difficult to capture this vision and action in a few words or one or two catchy
slogans. However, to focus on crucial issues, we have attempted to list a few important
items below:
· India to aim to be a major player in the world in the agricultural sector and a
leading exporter grains and other agricproducts.
· Easters India to become a major producer of wheat.
· Riceproducing areas to use hybrid seeds on a large scale.
· Central India to be made a center of vegetables, fruits, pulses and coarse grains.
· More emphasis on tuberous crops.
· Water as a national resourcewater management as the key to agricultural
prosperity.
· Core postharvest technologies to be mastered and disseminated.
Steps to educate farmers about what is happening elsewhere, if need be by providing
them the opportunity to travel, and use of space technologies to facilitate interaction and
encourage farmers to ask questions and share experiences.
81
How does one express the visio n for agricultural prosperit y, describe a visio n whic h
uses all the advantages of agroclimate and natural resources, with the use of right and
continuous doses of modern technology? The vision naturally includes the fact that for all
Indians the availability of food and worrying about where the next meal is coming from
will no longer be a prime concern. They will have food in plenty compared to their
situation today.
A vision for total production or per capita consumption or export figure alone does
not comprise the totality of what we envisage. The action taken to realize it is just as
important. Achieving these projections is not at all impossible. Investments are not
difficult. But there is a lot of work hard, synchronization of policies, administrative
support and actual fieldwork which includes taking people and farmers into confidence
and reaching the benefits of technologies to them that is required.
I have often been questioned by people from diverse walks of life as to the actual
realization of the vision. Scientists, technologists, managers or administrators ask, ‘In
your vision for agriculture, how do we place specific targets? Can we organize a
programmer like the missile programmer?’ school and college students ask, ‘sir, can we
launch India into agricultural prosperity as you have done for national security with
Aging?’
I explain the ideas in different ways. These are addressed in a later chapter. Generally,
the answer is on these lines: ‘A vision is not a project report or a plan target. It is an
articulation of the desired end results in broader terms. For example, a vision for India in
the 1980s was to have independent strengths in designing, developing, manufacturing and
launching various missiles best suited to our strategic requirements. With the successful
launch of SLV3, with the strengths of DRDO and other potential strengths, such a vision
was a realizable one, though difficult when looked at from the perspective of the ‘80s.
But to define individual project, their interlink ages and the teams required to implement
such projects successfully took considerable work from many dedicated persons. Many
years were spent in focusing on specific work packages.
‘Tasks invo lved in executing the visio n for agricultural and agrofood processing will
be equally and in fact more complex. The vision will have to be packaged in a large
82
number of viable, focused projects. Many of them will be executed by private individuals
or groups out of their conviction and risks by
them. A small group of people can be in touch with all of them to make an overall
assessment of the direct ion in which we are going. If there are problems due to policy or
perhaps adverse external environment conditions (drought or pest or hailstorms or a
slump in the export market, for the farmers and entrepreneurs, so that they do not lose
their will to pursue the harder tasks ahead.
‘That is how a nation can realize its vision. If we tie ourselves into knots over everyday
problems and project that attitude over 365 days, 730 days or 10,000 days, that cannot be
bigger things, but just take care that it is not impossible. At the time of articulating the
vision, however, it should appear nearly impossible!’
so we have before us a whole range of simple technologies, a large set of needed
organizational efforts and information exchange programmers, and above all a goal to
attain food security for our country in a permanent and sustainable manner. These efforts
will usher in great prosperity to a large number of people in rural areas and small towns,
through employment and wealth creation. Also for speedy economic growth, these are
excellent avenues as the return on the invested capital is much higher and can be
achieved in a short period. It is not like chasing the moon; the moon should co me to us!
These are some issues related to connecting hundreds of thousands of these new
agricultural centers to the market place; this can be achieved by rural connectivity
through roads and telephones. We address these issues in a later chapter.
83
CHAPTER 5
Materials and the Future
We will dig many mines,
And take out gold and other things,
And go eight directions to sell these,
And bring home many things.
Subrahmanya Bharathi
Agricultural products come from biological resource. Other (nonliving) natural
resource give us energy (e.g. petroleum and natural gas), chemicals for daily use (e.g.
salt), and various metallic products (e.g. steel, copper). If we were to pause for a
moment to thing about the growth of human civilization, we would find that the pace
of social and econo mic growth has been closely linked to the proficiency wit h which
people have been able to use and shape materials. Today this proficiency has become
the bedrock of a country’s development. Lightweight highperformance materials and
allo ys have helped us in building aircraft, satellite, launch vehicles and missiles. Our
houses are full of modern materials: stainless steel vessels, shaving blades with
special coatings, special nonsticking and slowheating frying pans; plast ic and fibre
glass products. Musical instruments and audiovisual equipment, include television,
depend crucially on certain advanced materials.
What happens when somebody breaks a bone? Many implants to replace the
broken bines are made of modern materials like titanium; the catheters used to save
patients with blocked blood vessels are made of special metallic wires coated with
plastic material. Many biomaterials are also now emerging.
Aging and disabled children
These illustrations give you idea of how extensively and intensively advanced
materials have penetrated every sphere of modern life. The subsequent chapter will
show where we stand as a country with regard to materials, our strengths, our
weaknesses and the vision for the future.
Before doing so let us look at a few touching incidents; at least for the authors
they are illustrative of the human dimensions of modern advanced materials.
84
I quote from my address at a tenday workshop on Indigenous Production
and Distribution of Assertive Devices Chennai on 5 September 1995.
A year back, an article appeared in the press on ‘Missile for Medicine’. The
article highlights our experiment of adapting certain missile technologies into
certain socially useful medial products primarily to bring them within the reach
of the commo n man. Reading in the art icle about an ultralight floor reaction
orthicons which our scientists developed from a high specific strength material
used to make radiotransparent heat shield of missiles, to assist polio affected
children in walking , an exserviceman hailing form a middle class family in
Karnataka wrote to us. He enquired whether something could be done for his
twelveyearold daughter who was suffering from residual polio of the lower
limb and was forced to drag herself with a 4.5kg caliper made out of wood,
leather and metallic strip. Our scientists invited the father and the daughter to
our laboratory in Hyderabad, and together with orthopedic doctors at the
Nazism’s Institute of medial Sciences there, designed a KAFO (knee Ankle
Foot Outhouses) weighting merely 400gm. The child got a near normal gait while
walking with this assertive device. The parent wrote to us a couple of months later
that the device breathed a new life in his daughter and she had learned cycling
and started going to school on her own. The girls regained a near normal
lifestyle… when I see this enthusiastic gathering today with the focus to provide
support to the disabled. I realized that our dream to provide similar devices
in standard sixes to millions will surely get transformed into reality.
Such devices can be sold at a affordable price, thus making even a
business venture to manufacture them not only sustainable but also
profitable. We believe that a chain of small scale industries can emerge in the
industrial estates located in various states.
India’s material resources
85
Let us come back to the hurlyburly hardheaded industrials and business world. Is
it necessary to have good material resources base ores and minerals –to
become a developed country? America has a rich resources base ; so does
Russia; China’s rich minerals resources base is helping her in speedy
economic growth; Australia too is well off in this regard. Most Africa is
endowed with some of the best minerals ores; many Africa countries were
colonized because of this. Now, even after independence, a number of
developed countries propped up regimes in African countries which can
assure them of these mineral resources but which do not bother about local
growth. Therefore much of Africa is poor , despite having the richest of minerals
deposits. Japan, on the contrary, has practically no mineral resource base of
significance. Japan exports steel ,builds ships, and is avowedly the economic
and technological leader of this century. The Japanese mastered technologies
to use their mineral and materials for economic and practical gains. High
cost products flow to the countries which supplied the minerals as ships, cars ,
finished steels products and in several other forms. That is how the economic
strength of nations which master technologies is built up. There are also other
interesting dimensions to theses technological strength of deriving product
out of ores. In some case , developed and industrialized nat ion deny products
derived form the ors to the very countries from which they got the ores in the
first place , on the grounds that these products are of strategic use. I recall an
experience during the seventies when I was developing SLV3, India ‘s first
satellite launch vehicle. For making gyroscopes required for the guidance systems,
the project required a few beryllium products. An American company making
them declined to supply these. It was found that that a Japanese company was
making some parts of the product and therefore the project approached them. That
company also declined. I now wanted to find out more about beryllium . It turned out
that India has one o f the richest stocks of beryllium ores, which it also supplies to
developed countries. They have the technologies to convert this ore into metal and
also to shape it according to the needs of the project . beryllium is a toxic metal and
requires a lot of care in handling, but as a metal it has many wonderful properties
86
which makes it unique for gyroscopes or imaging cameras or other application .The
berylliumcopper combination creates products having Several unique applications
in electronics .
The denial of beryllium products was one of the early lessons for me : if you don’t
have the techno logy, your natural resource is of no value to you . Now, of course , India
does not have to beg others for beryllium products. The technologists of ISRO and
Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) have set up a beryllium machining facility at
Vashi Mumbai. Indian ore is finding its way to the Indian space , atomic energy and
industrial Projects ! The project was gained by Dr.C.V.Sundaram, an eminent material
scientist, and was encouraged by Dr.Raja Ramanna, the then director of BARC .
Fortunately , India has a number of excellent mineral resources. It has very good
iron deposits; manganese ores, etc . As for the wonder modern metal titanium , India
tops the list of countries having this resource. We have one of the best quality bauxite
ores in the world. We also have several rare earth strategic and high value mineral
resources; we have rich beryl ores to supply beryllium and abundant resources( about
three million tones)of monozite, a source for many rare metal .
How are we using them? Much better than independence; Jamshyd N.Tata had
to face many difficulties before setting up a plant in Jamshedpur about a hundred years
ago, because because those who colonized us wanted us to remain as merely exporters
of ore. We have come a long way. We make our aluminium and aluminium alloys; we
make our steel_but not all varieties, not still a quantity comment substrate with our
potential and capabilities . It is so with several other ores, minerals and materials.
When Indian built the Rourkela steel plant with German technology ,its quality
and cost competitiveness at that time, i.e. in the 1960s, was one of the best in the world .
did we build upon that strength on the strength of many technologists, technicians
and administrative personnel that made it happen? The answer ,unfortunately, is no. We
allowed things to slip. We were running between America and the than Soviet Union
(now Russia ) to build Bokara . Even after that , we were generally slack. The
steel research and developed center at Ranchi was not truly integrated with the
steel technology of the country. The Steel Development Fund established by the
Government of India played only a limited role in developing core competitive
87
strength in the Indian steel industry. But we need not lament about the missed
opportunities. As Henry Ford often used to say, ‘Burn my factories but give me the
people who were there; I will build a new business.’ We still have a number of
persons in our country in steel Authority of India Ltd., (SAIL), Tata Iron and Steel
company (TISCO) and many other big and small steel plant who have the capabilities
. They have the will to excel and transform the country , given a long term vision.
If we now consider the case of alloys, we may ask if we have made an
Indian one in recent times . We makes use of steel alloys, designed by the US or
France or sometimes Russia. When it comes to alloys, like titanium aluminium alloys,
technologies are mostly of European or US origin . I have asked many Indian
material scientists as to why such a situation exists where by not even a single alloys
has been created despite India’s materials research. They reply : in our nation the
golden triangle of R&D labacademiaindustry has not yet emerged . We will truly
arrive as a country with advanced material technology when we create effective
golden from our own knowledge base.
Similarly, in other metallic and materials sectors as well , we have capabilit ies .
Considering India’s natural resources as well as industrial and R&D capabilit ies, we
can narrow down thirteen areas for special attention . These are the areas in which
India can excel and can have a longterm and sustainable competitive advantage
over many decades, even beyond the year 2020. We know of many scientists in
India who are committed to the development of these areas . They have the knowledge
base .They itch for action . Many of them met with frustrations due to the slow
decisionmaking process. Too little was given to them too late in their lives . But most
of them still have hope alive in them .
These thirteen areas are : steel, titanium, aluminium, rare earths, composites,
ceramics , building materials, photonic materials, superconducting materials, polymeric
materials , nuclear material, biomaterials as a generic technology areas of surface
engineering.
88
Materials to increase nation strengths
Steel: with abundant iron ore resources (12000 million tones) and a well established
base for steel production in India , steel is poised for strong growth in the coming
decades . Production will increase from the current 17MT to 31MT by 2001 and
66MT by 2011. India will become an important global player, exporting about 5 to 8
MT by 2011. While steel cont inue to have a strong ho ld in the tradit ional sector such
as construction, housing and ground transportation, special steels will be increasing
used in hitech engineering industries such as power generation, petrochemicals,
fertilizers, etc . The blast furnace route for iron production will dominate in the future
also. The share of continuously cast steel will increase to more than 75 per cent . Steel
will continue to be the most popular, versat ile and dominant material for wideranging
industrial applications . While Indian may still not become a leader in the world steel
marked, it can become a powerful force. Indian can give strong competition to China and
South korea in the world markets S.L.N.Acharyulu of DRDO who heads the action
team to realize the vision 2020 for the material sector has made several interesting
observations. There are about thirtyfive blast furnaces in various steel plants in our
country with an installed capacity of approximately 18 million tones. The ministeel
sector account for the balance, which together constitute the total installed steel making
capacity of about 30 million tones. Despite the high installed capacity, the utilization is
fairy low.
Although overall the cost of production of steel in India is low, our cost of
processing hot metal to liquid steel is higher. In order to sustain this overall edge in
the cost of production for a long time, attention should be paid to key factors
constituting the cost of inputs such as labour , energy, raw material and so on. The
labour component in the cost of production is two to three times lower than that of
the developed countries and is close to China. But the energy costs are almost double
that of the developed countries. Our raw material costs are also higher, although
marginally so, while the other indirect cost elements are nearly similar. Disturbingly,
the pollution levels are very high in Indian steel plants and viewed in the context of
the very low emission levels achieved in the plants operational globally, urgent
action needs to be taken here as well.
89
In spite of the relative advantage of the lower cost of iron ore and lower
labour costs accruable to the domestic steel industry , the long term sustainability
of the overall low cost of Production is threatened primarily by higher coke rates in
ironmaking and higher total energy consumption. It is heartening to note that the
blast furnace operations have progressively improved over the years . However,
our steel plants have not yet reached world standards in the rates of coke
consumption, a single most important index in iron making and specific energy
consumption . Some of them lag far behind. The current international standard of
achievement of coke consumption is about 500kg per tonne of hot metal. One Indian
steel plants is close it Other are in the range of 550kg to 600kg and still other are in
the range of even 700kg of coke! Similarly, the international standard of achievement
of energy consumption is about 6giga calories per tonne; the average Indian
achievement is about 8.5giga calories per tonne. A few year ago it was in the range
of 1012 giga calories per tonne. If the Indian steel industry is to be competitive, it
has to tackle this energy consumption norm very vigorously. In the coming years
energy prices are going to rise and hence the need to conserve more energy.
As we present this vision in 1998, some of the stalwarts in the steel sector, which
is presently undergoing severe market problems and is marked by a downward trend
in production and sale, may be cynical . However, most of the present problems are
connected with a general slowdown in industrial demand during 199798. It is
extremely unlikely that these trends will continue. India is continuing to show all the
signs of a fastgrowing economy . That means, consumption of steel products will go
up. Using this marked base, we should be ready to compete in outside markets. We
now have problems of competition with steel from China and South Korea in our
domestic markets . If our steel industry gears up in Indian and foreign markets. Our
vision should be towards this. Titanium: India occupies the top place in terms of
global reserves, possessing 37per cent of the world’s illmenite ores. With the
titanium industry on a sound footing and the growing application base for titanium
and its alloys , our projection is That titanium will see a much larger and significant
usage in the country . The production of mill products will go up from the present 100
to 5,000 tons/year by 2020. Titanium will penetrate into non aerospace sectors like the
90
naval, marine, oil and gas , power generation , etc. Titanium will also become popular in
application such as surgical tools, decorative items, building , architecture and
jewellery. Development of cheaper alloys, e.g. TitaniumAluminiumIron(TiAlFe )
will facilitate access into commercial markets . Development of alloys with higher
temperature capability, near net shaping technologies and isothermal forging will
pave the way for an increased role of titanium in aerospace. Titanium castings will
be produced in India for extensive application in the aerospace, chemical, marine
and mechanical engineering sector.
A story about how our decisio nmaking system failed to make good some great
opportunities in relation to titanium may be told here. Prof M.M. Sharma, an eminent
technologist: and educationist, speaks, with deep emotion as he lists several such
missed opportunities. He narrates in detail how many committees were formed ,
reports generated and files created, often to lead to a massive nonaction for
decades. For him the case of the titanium industry tops the list of missed opportunities.
He tells about a pilot plant to convert our titanium ore to sponge, which has been in a
pilot plant stage for more than a decade now. Though we have ISRO, Defence
Metallurgical Research Laboratory (DMRL) , Misha Dhatu Nigam (MIDHAANI),
BARC and many industries in the public and private sector which know how to use
titanium industry is struggling to be born. Yet, we feel, this is no reason to be overawed
as some movement in the juggernaut is noticed. Now, the Department of Atomic
Energy (DAE) in co llaboration with the DRDO has init iated a jo int project of titaniu m
sponge production of 500tonne capacity per year. We are confident that by the turn of
the millennium, a titanium industry will start and grow into a major sector of our
economy.
In addition to its excellent noncorrosive properties and several performance
advantage over other metals and alloys, one feature of titanium is particularly attractive
to both of us. It is biocompatible. That is,it can be placed inside the human Body without
any adverse effects to the body or the material. Today many poor and less welloff people
have bone or hip Implants made out of some cheap local materials.often,due To this, they
suffer pain for a couple of years. they cannot keep Changing the implants often
91
Many become handicapped. When titanium implantable parts are made available on a
large Scale, they will be affordable for many people. Not only would This reduce or
eliminate pain, but since the lifetime of titanium Implants such as hip joints or bone
screws could be two Decades or more, it is a lifetime cure for many, especially the Aged.
Rare earths: India is in an advantageous position with reference to availability of raw
materials(only next to china).with the advent of many hightechnology
products/applications based on rare earths, considerable effort will go into establishing
largescale production and application activities. Indigenous capabilities will be
established to produce rare earth oxides, metals, alloys/compounds to the required degree
of purity. The commercial production of NdFeB magnets, piezoelectric Ceramic and
other such products will be taken up and India will enter the export market. these
products are not for esoteric applications. Miniature tape recorders or Walkman
earphones, all these have been made possible on account of these wonder metals. If India
engineering efforts can lead to manufacture of good agricultural motors of small size with
these magnets, we may be able to provide each farmer with a pump set powered by a
scalar aridity may appear difficult but it is a dream worth pursuing. India laboratories and
industries, in particular agencies like Nuclear Fuel complex( NFC), Indian Rare Earth
Ltd(IREL) and Atomic Minerals Division (AMD),under the Department of Atomic
energy, have considerable knowledge and experience in this vital sector. Aluminium:
With excellent reserves of bauxite(India ranks Fifth in world bauxite production),having
a wellestablished Production base for alumna and aluminium, and with a growing
Demand for the products, the industry is poised for major growth. The production of
aluminium will increase from the current 0.5 to1.5MT/yr by 2000 and possibly 5MT/yr
by 2020. Bayer’s and electrolytic processes will continue to be the route for extraction,
but process efficiencies will be improved. Particularly towards the reduction of power
consumption for Production of aluminum metal. Newer materials will be Developed for
high technology applications, for example, AluminiumLithium(AlLi)alloys and
aluminiumbased Metal Matrix composites(MMCs).Remolding requires only one
Twentieth of the energy needed to produce primary metal Accordingly aluminium
recycling will gain importance.
92
Aluminium alloys are essential because of their light weight In aero planes, for
inexpensive household utensils and for Power transmission lines. Aluminium alloys are
likely to find a major place in furniture as wood substitutes, as we need to save the
forests.
In the field of aluminium we have graduated from the ore Exporting stage to metal
acing. According to some data Provided by S.L.N Acharyulu(in a private
communication),a crucial problem with our aluminium industry is the large energy
consumption which makes the cost of the product high and therefore less competitive.
The theoretical energy consumption required in aluminium electrolysis is 6.34 kilowatt
per hour per kg of metal; early achievements of the industry were 20
25kwh/kg.presently, most levels worldwide are 13kwh/kg.By 2000 the most advanced
technology could reach 11.4kwh/kg.In India the energy consumption of the
aluminium industry ranges between1520kwh/kg,which is higher than the globally
accepted levels. But one of our aluminium companies, Hindalco,is among the lowcost
producers of aluminium in the world. Recycling of the spent pot lining and recovery of
byproducts like gallium, vanadium and heavy metals such as lead, copper and t in would
improve the economics of production.
Major advances have been made in near net shape processes Such as the ‘Full Mould’
casting process of aluminium alloys, Thereby permitting production of products with a
degree of complexity and mach inability unattainable in conventional permanent mould
casting. This has enabled newer designs in automotives industry and aluminium
components are fast replacing other materials. Liquid forging technology offered
pragmatic micro structural Controls through the use of pressure to influence the
Solidificat ion o f a melt contained in a die. This ensured near forged properties wit h near
net shape capability.
In order to enrich Indian industries technologicsally, newer alloys with high value
addition are to be continuously developed and adopted. India is reported to be producing
20,000 T of plates/tubes and 10,000 T of foils. The semiproducts manufacturing cost is
only 10 per cent of the primary metal and hence the capital cost of setting up a semi
fabrication plant is just 10 per cent that of a smelter. This makes growth and expansion
easily achievable. The downstream products would include special aluminium cables,
93
domestic products, aluminium products in the housebuilding sector and various transport
applications. particularly in India, the base for the semi fabrication and fabrication of
these downstream aluminium products should be considerably widened. Greater inputs in
design, development and application engineering should be enabled for supporting this
downstream aluminium industry. Capacity enhancement should be associated with
quality Improvements.
As a country we have plenty of scope to marked many high Valueadded products
based on aluminium and its alloys. That Is the vision we have for the Indian aluminium
industry.
Composite materials: There will be a substantially increased Usage of composites in
many sectors by 2020.The major Volume of growth will be contributed by the
transportation and Construction sectors. Glass fibrereinforced polymers(GRP) Will see a
major expansion in the civilian sector. production/ processing technologies suitable for
mass production will be established, bringing down the cost. Production of metal matrix
composites(MMCs)will be established by 201`0 formictech applications –e.g., space
structure, aero engine components, and landing gear for aircraft. ceramic metal
composites will be developed by 2020 for application in reciprocating engines, gas
turbine engines and wearresistant parts. Repair/maintenance schemes for composites will
be standardized.
I have a great deal of interest in both rocketry and composistes.When the fibrereinforced
plastics(FRP)division was established in the late sixties at the space science and
Technology centre(SSTC)at Trivandurum (which is now a part of Vikram sarabhai
spacecentreVSSC),I had a number of projects aimed at the civilian commercial uses of
FRP and composites. These ranged from fishing boats to foodgrain storage silos. Due to
the demands on my time from the sounding rocket projects and India’s first satellite
launch vehicle (SLV3) project which was in the formulation stages then, it was not
possible for me to pursue these projects then. My efforts towards application engineering
using advanced composite materials went into the design of rocket motor cases and other
structures required by the launch vehicle and satellite project. A centre, called Reinforced
plastics centre(REPLACE),was created to meet these demands. Today REPLACE, in
94
addition to meeting ISRO’s requirements of composites products, is developing
prototypes for other commercial civilian products.
When I left ISRO to head Indian’s first Missile Development programmatic did not
forget the role of advanced composites. Under the Defence Research Development
Laboratory(DRDL)and the Research centre Imarat(RCI),I nurtured a composite
production centre called COMPROC(now composite products Development centre). This
centre was to provide the missile programme with composite parts. It also produced
composite devices like FROs for disabled persons. In addition, the ideas created under
the aegis of RCI and COMPROC have led to a major Advanced Composites Mission
supported by the government. This misson is to catalyze a number of advanced
composites products which can be commercialized in the civilian sectordoors, tables,
pushcarts for vegetable vendors, breakdrums for automobiles, and so on.
In the coming decade there will be major application of this technology to
railway sleepers. While wood is a wellproven material, we need to avoid its use to save
our forests. we are importing wooden sleepers now. In addition to costs there are other
operational problems. concreteiron sleepers have been tried on a largescale; they break
too often. FRP(Fibre Reinforced Plastic) baked sleepers would be a major substitute.
Trials are underway now.
India is way down in the use of composites; this itself is partly an indicator of the
low status of industrial techno logies. Our visio n is that this will change drast ically in the
near future. This vision is not merely because we like composites technology but because
it is an important ‘performance material’ of the future. It will improve energy efficiency
in the transport sector as it reduce the dead weight to be carried. Composite materials
give much better strengths than conventional materials with much lesser weight. A
composite product can be designed directly. This is an important property which brings
down weight with additional strength for any application. Its light weight coupled with
high strength has made it a favorite choice for today’s sports goods. Industrial operational
efficiency would also increase with selective use of composites. And, of course, for the
disabled it is a wonder material to mitigate several of their physical handicaps. Today
composite materials are also hoping in providing lightweight bonesetting bandages as
against the bulky plasterofpairs casts normally used.
95
We have no doubt that Indian industries another users will soon ;;taste the
technologies available in multiple laboratories and will join the world leaders in the use
and production of composite materials.
There is an interesting observation in a book published by west view press
entitled The International Missile Bazaar, edited by William c.potter and Harlan
W.JENCKS.’the RCI recently joined with the technology informat ion Forecasting and
joined with the Technology Information Forecasting and Assessment Council of the
Department of Science and Technology to market advanced composites,such as carbon
fibre.composites. composite production at the composites production
centre(COMPROG)at RCI, which will be operated jointly with Indian industry. Finally,
many private industries into the field. Soon foreign products will also come to India and
compete with the local products. supplying materials and technologies to the IGMDP
could export their products. Ceramic materials:when we stand before a wash basin,or
have a bath in a tiled bathroom or sip tea in a cup,we take for granted the unbiquitous
presene of ceramics in our life. They have been with us in some from or another for
centuries. We also note that their quality has improved over the years. with the total
Quality Movement gripping the Indian industry over the past several years, one
industrialist recently commented to us:’ with improvement in quality and the practice of
International Standards Organization(ISO)9000 system, my business volume is going
down as there are less breakage after sales!’ Therefore, has been looking for
diversification into newer ceramics application. He is a wise person.Because,even while
the sale of traditional ceramic products will greatly increase in our country, with the
growing demand for ceramic ware of better quality and appearance, there would be many
more entrants hus time for the Indian industry to enter into other areas of advanced
ceramics as will. Ceramics are now entering into automobile aircraft engines;with the
newer requirements for fuel efficiency,not only for economic reasons but for
environmental reasons ,internal combustion engines and other energy conversion system
are likely to operate at higher and higher temperatures. They have a unique advantage of
heat resistance at these kinds of temperatures. Ceramics have also started competing with
traditional machine tools. The cutting capability of ceramic is good for a number of
applications.Ceramics can also be engineered to be biocompatible and are being used as
96
replacements for broken bones. Some of the readers may already be having ceramic caps
on their teeth.Many may not be aware of the crucial role of ceramics in the electronics
industry.They from the base,called substrate,for a number of miniature electronics
devices which are coated or etched on such substrates, keeping up with the trends of
microminiaturization.Many ceramic materials are crucial for advanced sensors. The tiny
microphones in your taperecorders or in a collar mike have,automobiles,pollution
detection and control and security systems. There is good scope in the domestic market
for advanced ceramics as well as for their export to other contries.
Building materials:The dream of most middle class and lower income families is to
have houses oer flats of their own.InKerala,for example,the Gulf employment boom was
most visible in the flood of housebuilding activity.The employment boom in the Gulf
countries which was soearheaded by the talented people of kerala, has resultede in their
having greater earning.They have money to save after spending on food and
cloating.These saving have led to a rapid growth ofconstruction activities all around
Kerala. This attitude of investing first in a house and,of course,jewellery is common to all
Indians.Such investings, if directed towards industries, will have a good impact on
national wealth.Still,we have to remember that most Indians do not have proper
habitat ion. Most of them live houses made o f earth and bio mass.They naturally desire to
have stronger and more durable dwellings. In the India of our vision ,we would like to see
all Indians not only wellclothed and with access to affordable health care
systems(preventive and curative),but we would also like to see that all of them have
durable habitation with good sanitation facilities. Using costeffective bricks with local
cementing material could be the answer.
The buildings of the future will have many few features of aesthetics and
convenience. Many houses may have builtin flat panel displays for entertainment,
business or educational information. Their energy souces will be claeaner, based on solar
power or hydrogen. The glass panes of windows and doors may have conducting
polymers to regulate transmission of solar rays into the room. The leakages during the
monsoon may be a thig of the past due to improved design and construction methods.
Above all, the time taken for construction of houses and buildings may be cut down to
several weeks or a few months, instead of years. This would be achieved through the use
97
of prefabricated structures and various other factorymanufactured parts like advanced
composites doors.
Cement will continue to be a dominating building material. Its consumption will
go up from 75 MT in 1995 to 115 MT in 2005. Natural aggregates are likely to
predominate even beyond 2020 due to their easy availability. Concrete will continue to
be an indispensable material of construction. Seel, too, will continue to be used as one of
the major structural materials as well as for reinforcement in concrete. Fly ash produced
by burning coal in electric power stations will be increasingly used along with cement as
there is a need to conserve cement. The basic raw materials that go to make cement are
not going to last long. Presently limestone, the principal input for making cement, is
easily aviable with little effort required to mine it. However, such limestone reserves may
last only a century. Then we may have to dig deeper, which means more cost. Therefore,
the use of fly ash is required not only as an environmental protection measure but for
conserving natural resources.
The Government of India has mounted a major technology demonstration project
for fly ash utilization. This mission
Mode project was the result of earlier work by TIFAC and is now being implemented by
it along with many national and state government agencies as well as industries and
institutions. In many parts of India, there are successful examples of the use of fly ash.
The first was for the Okhla flyover bridge which is operating successfully. This success
led to its use for another bridge, the Hanuman setu. The central and Delhi governments
have also cleared the construction of a 1.7 km approach road connecting a new bridge at
Nizamuddin. New Delhi to NOIDA WHICH USES FLY ASH. Another project for
construction of a 1 km road using fly ash has strated at Panipat. The construction of foru
dwelling units at the abandoned fly ash pond of the National Fertilizers Ltd(NEL) at
panipat has been successful, and they have been tested through a monsoon season. The
results indicate that a structure up to four storeys high can be safely and economically
erected at abandoned ash ponds, However,intial testing og the site is required as is
usually done for regular soil as well.
Among other success with fly ash is a 1 km road near Raichur which is operating
well, and a road in New Bhuj, Gujarat. Road building through the use of fly ash has been
98
standardized with these experiments, and draft specifications have been prepared for
submission to the Indian Road Congress. There are other uses of fly ash, as in the
underground mine fill demonstrated at Ramagundam. Several othe projects aimed at
agricultural applications are underway. Photonic materials: The development of
electronics in Indian is recent and has marked a revolution in industrialization and
economic growth, besides adding to human comforts. Most of the modern technological
‘miracles’ are due to electronics, that is, controlling the flow of electronics. The growth
of electronics has led to newer and grater demands: of the amount of data to be
transferred; much higher resolutions of transmitted pictures; many more parameters to be
measured and so on. These demands have led to the mastery of ‘control of photons’, that
is, the ‘particles of light’. Lasers and fibernoptics fall in the category of photonics. While
there is considerable knowledge of electronics, optics and software are involved in the
applications of photonics, and the basic devices and assemblies need very advanced
engineering of materials, process engineering and design methods.
Photonics will dominate all walks of life in the twentyfirst century. It will
penerate into several areas tradinationaly covered by electronics such as
communications, computation, memories etc. It will have farreaching effects in several
critical areas such as information technology, fiber opticsbased telecommunication,
diagnostics and therapeutic applications in health care, pollution control,life sciences,
besides others.
Developments in photonic materials will accordingly keep pace. There will be
new developments in laser materials. Newer compounds and rare earths will assume great
importance for electroluminescence applications. India’s missle programme uses many
of these materials for missile guidance. They are also used in aircraft transfort systems
and satellites. A new class of phosphors may revolutionize display technology. Opto
electronic systems will increasingly use polymers. While it is difficult to consumers can
expect better and larger TV pictures, new lighting sources, new medical diagnostic
devices, while communication facilit ies will be more easily accessible than peresentday
India’s water taps!
Superconducting materials: We all know that the cost of generating electricity is high. In
India, a policy of subsidizing electricity has kept the rates down. There is an increasing
99
tendency, for sound economic reasons, to reduce such subsidies and let the price of
electricity be marketdetermined. But the consumers naturally would not like to pay for
the inefficiencies in generation o f electricit y nor for the losses in transmissio n. There are
increasing pressures to introduce better and wellproven technologies to improve
efficiency in power generation. We have, overall, one of the lowest indicators of power
generation efficiency in th world.
In addition, our transmission and distribution losses are high. Some, called ‘non
technical’, is piferage of power. But a good part of it is also due to use of poor
technologies in transmission line materials and transformer materials. Not that earlier
there weren’t people with knowledge, or that there were no technologies to overcome this
problem. But somehow, most of these avenues were callously ignored. Now sheer
economics is taking over with pressure on the power sector to perform. So it is likely that
most of the new wellproven technologies will be used in transmission lines and
transformers to reduce losses. In advanced countries, the emphasis on efficiency and
cutting down losses has led to the experimental use of superconducting materials as
wires. These can be considered the ult imate in the use o f electronics, with pract ically no
hindrance to their flow, meaning practically no losses. India has invested a considerable
amount in building up a scientific base. Now it is a question of orienting this scientific
work to commercial products of the future. As is ture with most generic high
technologies, there are applications of superconductors in the medical and industrial
sectors as well.
Lowtemperature superconductors (LTSC) with improved performance will have
to be developed. Indigenous development of superconducting cyclotron and Xray
synchrotron would take place. These equipemts are useful for medical and industrial
applications. Superconducting genertators with 5MVA field, magnetic seprators with
field strengths greater than 3.5T would be commercially built in India. Multi SQUID
arrays will be developed for medical diagnostics.
SQUIDs based on hightemperature superconductors (HTSC) will be developed
and used for noninvasive diagnosis of disease, biomedical investigations, Non
Destructive Testing (NDT) of oil pipes, bridges, etc. HTSCs will work their way into
microwave communication, energy storage devices, sensing and electromagnetic devices
100
for face exploration, highspeed computers, etc. HTSCs will facilitate the building of
smaller and less energyconsuming Magnetic Reasonance Imaging (MRI) devices. Yet
another dream is a superconducting train.
Polymeric materials: Just as electronics and photonics are the marvels of modern physics
and materials technology, modern chemistry has given birth to a whole range of
polymers. For a simple understanding we may look at the range of plastic products. The
solid propellants used in launch vehicles and missiles are also a t ype of polymer, as also
the foam beds we sleep on or the special soles in our footware. Polymer are an integral
part of modern life. The polymer industry in India will grow at 1520 per cent up to the
year 2000 and at 10 per cent thereafter. Commodity plastic production will increase from
current 1.7 MT to 4.5 MT by the year 2000. Elastomers and synthetic rubber will grow at
the expense of natural rubber. There will be a large usage of ecofriendly(biodegradable,
nontoxic) polymers.recycling/reprocessing of waste plastics will assume great
significance. Newer inventions in polymers such as conducting polymers are knocking at
the doors of bioelectric devices and systems. The future will see many exciting
applications of polymers.
Nuclear materials: Most of us have tended to associate anything nuclear with the bomb
and to a certain extent with poer generation, Use of nuclear energy has placed
considerable demands on advanced materials technologies and spinoffs from them are
very many.
Let us review the future of nuclear material. The Nuclear Power Corporation
plans to set up seven more plants of 2100 MW by the year 2000 and seventeen more by
2020 to raise the total installed capacity to about 20000 MW. There could be other
entities setting up nuclear poer plants as well. The requirement of nuclear material will
accordingly go up. Monozite production would increase to 8000/9000 TPY at
Manavalakurichi, Tamil Nadu, alone. There will be demands to enhance the facilities to
meet the increased requirements of zirconium alloy and uranium dioxide(UQ2) fuel. The
largescale production of reactor grade hafnium oxide and its conversion to hafnium (HF)
metal will be taken up to keep pace with increasing demands, Newer zirconium alloys
would be designed for fuel cladding applications with better corrosion/radiation
The words you are searching are inside this book. To get more targeted content, please make full-text search by clicking here.
india2020
Discover the best professional documents and content resources in AnyFlip Document Base.
Search